My Dad, Jim Henson, Taught Us Learning Is Cool

His teachings were brilliant, lessons of felt.
Lessons of Felt?

Today’s story is from Lisa Henson, daughter of Jim Henson of Muppet fame.

He “fathered” thousands…but never met most. Jim Henson fathered The Muppets. Creatures of felt. He brought us Sesame Street, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, so much more.

Jim Henson taught us that learning is cool.
Counting to ten could be fun.

Lisa Henson with her father Jim Henson*

But what was it like to be a real Henson kid? “We were always doing extraordinary things,” says Lisa, now 53 (the same age as Jim when he died). Making it fun was how the Henson kids learned that learning is cool.

“Dad (and Mom) were always up for play,” says Brian, 50. Games and more games. And felt puppets—of course.

Jim taught his kids through engagement and fun, lessons of felt. Brian, a technical whiz, Dad taught puppet building. Lisa showed a knack for editing. “From age 12, I read and gave feedback on his scripts… ”

Jim’s business advice to his kids, says Brian,

“If you are fair and honest in business, you may not win in the short term, but in the long run it will all come back to you tenfold.”

Brian is Chairman of The Jim Henson Company. Lisa is CEO. All five Henson “kids” (now in the their 40s and 50s) sit on the Board.

What can we learn from Jim Henson, a dad to us all?

Make it stick. Make it fun. By teaching lessons of felt he taught us learning is cool.

Jim Henson and the Muppets**

*Photo of Lisa Henson and her father Jim Henson is courtesy of Success Magazine.
**Photo of Jim Henson and the Muppets is provided courtesy of muppetcentral.com.